Machine for cutting or shortening linotype-slugs.



No. 823,788. PATENTED JUNE '19, 1906. v R. P. JACOBS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING 0R SHORTENING LINOTYPE SLUGS.

APPLICATION FILED FIE-3.15.1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 828,788. PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906.

' R. F. .IAGOBS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING 0R SH ORTENING LINOTYPE SLUGS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.15.1906.

2 sums-sum 2.

ANDREW. a. cmmm m. PHDTB-LIIMOGRAPNERS. WASHING-YEN. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT F. J AOOBS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR .OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES F. WALTHER, OF HOWARDVILLE, MARYLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. June 19, 1906.

A li ati fil d February 15 1906. Serial-No. 301,184:-

for cutting or shortening linotype-slugs to an exact predetermined extent in order to adapt said'slugs to fit in special spaces in the type forms of displayed advertisements.

It is the custom in displayed newspaperadvertisements where articles are described and prices therefor quoted to denote the price in figures whichare much larger than the type characters comprising the descriptive matter and larger than are possible to be cast on thelinotype-machin'e. In order to produce this style of display, it is the practice for the operator of the linotype-machine to use the matrices to compose descriptions of the articles in matrix-lines shorter thanthe slug which the machine is then actually casting and to finish the line or slug to its full length by using quads or spaces. The blank ends of such linotype-slugs are subsequently cut OE, and when several of the short slugs are together large figures of foundry-type are inserted by hand at the shortened ends of such slugs. It is important in thus using shortened linotype-slugs and foundry-type placed at the ends of the slugs that the portion to'be cut from the slugs should exactly equal the setwise space which the foundry-types require 'in order that the slugs and type to'gether'wi'll be held tightly when locked up in aiorm.

Heretofore these slugs cas'tfor displayed advertisements have been cut by employing the ordinary machine used in printing-offices for This is unsatisfactory, be-

because it is tedious and slow.

At the present time the standard for the scale of measurement of foundry-type is that known as the "point" system, in which sevmeans be provided and combined with-a cutting-machine, whereby linotype-slugs may be cut or shortened to an exact predetermined extent according to the point system.

The object of the present invention is to provide a slug-cutting machine with a limited number of attached but movable spacers of varying widths, the variations being according to the point system so that one or several spacers may be quickly moved into position, and thereby locate a stop or abutment where it will accurately represent a given number ofv points, against which may be placed one end of a linotype-slug that is to be shortened.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the slug-cutter machine. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the wedge-spacers. Fig. 3 shows one of the boxes in which a spacer moves and also a sliding block moved by the spacer. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the machine. Fig. 6 isa cross-section of the platen, showing one form of spacer turned down thereon. Fig. 7 is a view of a linotype-slug, showing one end blankthat.is, withno type characterswhich is the style of slug the machine is intendedto cut. Fig. 8 shows'a block of linotype-slugs, some of which have been cut and including price-figures in larger type. v

The letter A designates a bed-piece and platen resting on suitable feet a. The top of the platen has at its back a high edge or flange '7). Alinotype-slug .0, having type'characters for a portion of its length and a space near the end blank, is laid flat on the platen, with one edge against the flange b and the blankend in position to project over the end of the platen. At this end or the machine is a suitable cutter d, which may be operated by a levere or other means to cut the blank end of the linotype-slug.

The present form of machine illustrates two styles of spacers, a wedge style and a swinging style. The spacers of this invention have varying widths and are arranged relative to each other, sosas topermit any one alone to be used or any selected number to be used together in order to produce in the aggregate the desired number of points; It is to be understood that in cutting off the blank end of a linotype-slug the portion out off should exactly equal the space which the foundry-.typewillrequire. Thereforetheoperator, knowing the setwise size of the figures (the foundrytype) that are to be used, which, for instance, maybethirty-fourpo'ints,

will put into service such spacers as in the cutter.

aggregatewill amount to thirty-four points. The spacers thus put into service will locate on the platen a stop or gage against which one end of the linot e-slug will abut. This will cause the blank end of the said slug to project under the cutter and beyond the end of the platen to the exact lengthnamely, thirty-four pointsthat is to be cut off.

The bed-piece at the end remote from the cutter has a fixed block f, which serves as an abutment, and the spacers are arranged so as to be moved into an interposed position on the platen between said abutment and the This end of the bed-piece also has a longitudinal open slot g. Some device to serve as a movable stop or gage must be employed. One form for this is shown in Figs.

1 and 4, where a slidable block h has one end resting upon the bed-piece. A spiral spring 71 below the bed-piece or platen has one end secured to a bolt in the fixed block or abutment f and the other end attached to a hook other end has on top two parallel tongues Zc,

which serve as a guideway for the stop device h and also for the wedge-spacers Z, which latter will now be described.

It is to be understood the construction of the spacers may be varied; but in the present instance each spacer comprises a box N open at one vertical side and closed at three vertical sides and at the top. Each of two opposite vertical sides of this box has a horizontal groove Zr, which take on the tongues 7c of the guideway, and thereby enable the box to be moved or slid along the guideway. The closed top of the box has a hole m. Within the box N is a wedge Z, having a stem m, which projects through the hole m in the box, and a spiral spring 0 surrounds the stem above the box and tends to raise the wedge Z. Thus in the present construction the wedge Z has an up-and-down movement within the box N. It will be observed that each wedge Z has two vertical parallel sides Z and a tapered oint formed by an inclined end 1, which lEevels oii between said two sides. As the spring 0 normally keeps the wedge raised, a little down-pressure on the stem is required to put the wedge into service. In the'present instance seven spacers are shown, but of course this number may be varied. The various widths of the spacers are denoted by the numerals 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24. These numerals indicate one point, two oints, four points, 620. In the drawings the f dur thinner spacers or wed es Zhave sharp points and an undercut shoui der p, and the three thicker wed es have blunt points but are without shou ders.

Each spacer in the present construction. also comprises a slidable block Q, having on its two vertical parallel edges a notch or groove k which take on the tongues 7c of the guideway and enable said block to be freely moved horizontally. This block Q has the same height and breadth oi the box N and serves as a closure to the vertical side of the box when the particular wedge or s )acer of such box is not in service. Each lock Q also has a tenant-boss i", which projects into or takes position into the box. The tenantboss of each of the four thinner spaces or wedges have upward-exposed shou ders 7), which serve as seats or stops to receive the undercut shoulders p on these thinner wedges. By this construction when one of the thin Wedges is pressed down its undercut shoulder 19 will seat on the stop p of the boss. The block Q of each of the thicker spacers or wedges has a tenant-boss without such seat or shoulder. These bosses have an inclined or beveled face r at their upper part corresponding with the inclined face of the wedge Z and normally these inclined parts are in contact, as seen in Fig. 4. Below the inclined face 1* the tenant-boss has a vertical wall 1. When the spacer or wedge is not in service, the tenant-boss is fully within the box, the vertical wall 1* of the boss being in contact with the inner wall of the said box, and the spacer or wedge at such time has the raised position.

It is obvious the special slidable block h, used as a movable stop, may be dispensed with and instead the slidable block Q that is nearest the cutter used as a movable stop or age.

b It will be understood that in the operation of the machine the arrangement of the parts is such that any one of the spacers alone or any number of selected spacers together may be moved so as to take an interposed position on the bed or platen between the fixed abutment f and the cutter (Z, thereby shortening the unoccupied s ace on the platen adjacent the cutter, and tiiat the linotype-slug c that is to be cut is placed in this unoccupied space.

The letter 8 designates a special spacer of a different form from the wedgespacer Z. This spacer s is in the form of a block fixed to an arm 8, which is loosely pivoted on a rod t parallel with the platen. This spacer s will therefore swing upward and away from the platen and will also slide along the rod t. The arm of this swinging spacer has an extension at beyond the pivot, whereby when the spacer is swung upward, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 6, the said extension will turn downward and rest against the side of the platen and sustain the spacer in the upright position. This swinging spacer s is broader than either of the others and is intended to be forty-eight points. It may be used conveniently when making large cutoffs, such as half of the ordinary newspapercolumn. It may be used also in combination with any of the other spacers Z.

From this description the operation will be readily understood without further statement.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure b yLetters Patent, is

1. A linotype-slug-cutting machine having a platen on which the slug is to lie; a cutter; and a plural number of movable spacers which are of varying width and arranged relative to each other so that any one spacer may be-used alone and any number of selected spacers may be moved and usedtogether to form a gage on the platen.

2. A linotype-slug-cutting machine having a platen on which the slug is to lie; a cutter; a stop device movable on the platen; and a plural number of spacers which are of varying width and arranged so 'that anyone and any number may be moved to shift the stop device.

3. A linotype-slug-cutting machine having a platen on Which the slug is to lie; a cutter; a movable stop device which is springpressed in a direction away from the said outter; and a plural number of movable spacers which are of varying width andarranged so that any one and any number may be put into operative position.

4. A linotype-slug-c'uttin g' machine having a platen on which the slug is to lie; a cutter; a stop device movable on the platen; and a plural number of spacers all of which have a slidable movement in a direction toward and away from the said cutter and each of which is also independently movable in another direction.

5. A linotypeslug-cutting machine having a platen on which the slug is to lie; a cutter; a movable stop device which is springpressed in a direction away from the said cutter; and a plural number of spacers of varying width all of which are capable of sliding together in the same direction, and each one of which is movable along in another direction.

6. A linotype-slug-cutting machine having a platen; a cutter having movement in a plane crosswise of the platen; a fixed abutment on the platen; and a plural number of said fixed abutment and the gage device.

8. A linotype-slug-cutting machine having a platen; a cutter having movement in a plane crosswise of the platen; a fixed abut-' ment on the platen, and a plural number of wedge spacers of varying width arranged relative to the platen so that any one of which and any number of which may be moved into position.

In testimony whereof I a'l'fixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT F. JACOBS. 

